Kure Taisho-machi Ichiba

The signs and ambience of the Kure Taisho-machi Ichiba shopping district in central Kure, Nakatosa-machi, evoke a feeling of 1950s nostalgia. This commercial area is filled with items that bring to life the atmosphere of a fishing village, such as the fishermen's banners fluttering overhead. This market began around the middle of Meiji period, but in 1915 a great fire swept through the area and destroyed 230 houses. Deeply moved by the Emperor Taisho's gift of money to cover rebuilding costs, the townspeople changed the name of the area from Jizo-dori to Taisho-machi, and since then the market has been called the Taisho-machi Ichiba. Just after two in the afternoon, when the market is most busy, fresh fish from the morning and noon catches of the day go on sale. In addition to fish, you can also buy seasonal vegetables and fruit grown by local farmers, as well as handmade delicatessen food. But the biggest attraction by far is eating "Kure-don" topped with fresh seafood of your choice. After buying meal tickets and selecting sashimi or other delicacies from the open air stalls, you are given rice and miso soup, and the ingredients you chose are placed on the rice to complete the meal. Toppings include seared and chopped fish, sashimi, dried sardines or other seafood, and mixed vegetable and seafood tempura. The dried seafood can also be grilled over a charcoal brazier. At just 1,000 yen for five topping tickets and a rice and miso soup ticket, it makes for a very reasonable meal. You can opt for a deluxe donburi by using all five topping tickets for sashimi, and spare tickets can also be used to buy kenpi or taiyaki to take home.

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